Super Foods: Relieve Your Restless Legs With Food

The Restless Leg Syndrome Diet plan

Like many persistent conditions, the signs of restless legs syndrome (RLS) might be minimized by following a healthy diet. So what makes up a diet that can help deal with your restless leg symptoms? Research cites obesity as a contributory risk factor for restless legs. In addition, RLS may be triggered due to insufficiencies in particular minerals and vitamins. Therefore, ensuring you consume a high-fiber, low fat diet rich in the natural sources of specific vitamins and minerals detailed below can reduce your frequency and intensity of restless leg syndrome attacks.

A Healthy Balanced Diet for RLS

Eating properly not only enables you to maintain a proper weight, it also lets you consume a proper mix of minerals and vitamins which appear organically in the foods of a well balanced diet. Because nutritional deficiencies have been related to RLS for years and in some cases can even be the underlying cause of the onset of the condition.

Folic acid, vitamin B, and iron deficiencies are all associated with RLS. In fact, iron deficiency can lead to anemia, which is a significant risk factor for the condition. Once you pinpoint what kind of deficiency a patient has, you can deal with the cause of their symptoms. Speak with your medical professional about the possibility of one of the following nutritional deficiencies:

Magnesium

Magnesium supports normal muscle and nerve function. A deficiency in this mineral is also linked to RLS. According to a study published in the journal Sleep, magnesium supplementation may be a good alternative therapy for people with moderate or mild RLS. The participants included in the study were treated with oral magnesium for between four and six weeks. During the study, their RLS symptoms decreased significantly.

More mature adults and people with chronic malabsorptive disorders, such as Crohn’s disease, are at increased risk for magnesium deficit. People with alcohol addiction and poorly regulated diabetes are also at higher risk. Green vegetables, like spinach, are higher in magnesium. Other magnesium-rich foods include legumes, nuts and whole grains.

Folate and Vitamin B12

Reduced levels of vitamin B12 and folate are associated with diabetic neuropathy and is a disorder that can trigger symptoms of RLS. Research resulting from the same report that reviewed iron for RLS in the journal of Alternative Medicine Review also found that vitamin supplements with folate may be effective in minimizing RLS problems and could contribute in managing RLS.

Even though folate is found in a range of foods, those with the highest levels include spinach, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts. Folic acid is also often added to enriched and fortified grain foods such as breads, rice, cereals, pastas, rice and flours. Clams beef and liver are among the very best sources of vitamin B12. Other sources of this vitamin include fish, dairy products and eggs.

Iron

Research released in the journal Alternative Medicine Review demonstrates that anemia, or a low iron level in the blood, is a common core cause of RLS. Iron levels in the blood are also 50 percent to 60 percentage points less at night, which may account for why RLS symptoms have the propensity to erupt later on in the day.

A report published in Sleep Medicine discovered that iron for restless leg syndrome treatment generated significant or complete improvement of RLS symptoms in 17 of 25 women without triggering major side effects. Supplementing with iron for RLS is a straightforward method to help people with an iron deficiency get comfort. Iron-rich meals are typically derived from animals, like beef. Seafood also is normally rich in iron, especially sardines and oysters. Vegetarian sources of iron include fortified grains and leafy greens including spinach, kale and collards. Eating iron-rich dishes together with a form of vitamin C, such as citrus fruit like a grapefruit or an orange, can improve iron absorption.

A Diet Rich in Anti-Oxidants

Possibly one of the least recognized elements of dealing with restless leg syndrome via your diet, and one of the most important pieces of advice I can give you is that particular foods are more useful to the production and defense of the naturally developing dopamine in your brain than others. Primarily, a diet high in fatty foods will tend to put your body under escalated oxidative stress and tend to destroy the naturally occurring dopamine in your brain. You can guard against the destruction of the dopamine in your brain by consuming foods with natural anti-oxidative properties and supplementing with anti-oxidants which are capable of penetrating your blood-brain-barrier and getting the anti-oxidants exactly where they are needed the most.

Things To Minimize In Your Restless Leg Syndrome Diet

High levels of caffeine usage has been linked to an increase in RLS symptoms. Staying free from this pick-me-up, which is found not only in a cup of coffee and tea but also chocolate and lots of soda pops, may serve to help relieve your symptoms. Drinking liquor, beer or wine can also increase the intensity of symptoms in lots of people with RLS.

The Connection Between RLS and Obesity

If you are fat, you already understand that you are at increased risk for an extensive assortment of health issues. However, just a short while ago a study released in Neurology found that weight problems are also linked with an elevated risk of restless leg syndrome.

This specific study involved 23,119 men and 65,554 women. Research patients that presented with diabetic issues, pregnant, or arthritis were eliminated from the group in an attempt to more specifically focus on the impacts of weight problems on RLS. What they discovered was 6 percent of the women and 4 percent of the men had RLS. However, those who were obese were approximately one and a half times more likely to experience RLS than patients with normal body weight. Nevertheless, the study was unable to prove a definitive causal link involving obesity and RLS.

In Summary

By eating a well-balanced restless leg syndrome diet and avoiding caffeine and alcoholic beverages, you may have the ability to help minimize the severity of your condition. Speak with your physician or dietitian concerning your individual diet needs for controlling RLS.